1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for supplying a slider to a slide fastener stringer in motion along a path of travel for the purpose of attaching the slider to the slide fastener stringer. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for the supply of sliders which can be utilized advantageously for supplying sliders particularly for waterproof slide fasteners, invisible slide fasteners, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known that an apparatus for supplying sliders to a slide fastener stringer maintained in a successive movement along a horizontal path of travel is available for effecting automatic attachment of sliders to a slide fastener stringer. One known arrangement heretofore adopted for the supply of ordinary sliders is composed of a vertical chute and a swinging arm disposed in an obliquely downward position relative to the vertical chute and is adapted to rotate the arm so as to move a slider holding part provided at the leading end thereof along an arcuate locus defined between the lower end of the vertical chute and a predetermined point in the path of travel of the slide fastener stringer at which the assembly takes place and consequently effect supply of sliders to a slider supporting means kept waiting in the path of travel mentioned above, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,563 issued Sep. 29, 1970 to M. Maeda, U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,579 issued Dec. 14, 1971 to M. Maeda, U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,926 issued Dec. 28, 1971 to M. Maeda, and corresponding Japanese Patent Publication No. SHO 45-16624. Another known arrangement is composed of a vertical chute and a horizontal chute disposed in the proximity of the lower end of the vertical chute and is adapted to cause sliders discharged in an upright posture from the vertical chute through the lower end opening thereof to be laid in a horizontal posture on the horizontal chute, supply the sliders in the horizontal posture with a moving rod to a slider holding device kept waiting at the leading end of the horizontal chute, and lower the slider holding device now holding the sliders to the path of travel of the slide fastener stringer and set it waiting at a predetermined position where the assembly takes place, as disclosed in published Japanese Utility Model Application, KOKAI (Early Publication) No. SHO 63-31810.
The conventional arrangements for the supply of sliders mentioned above, in the process of supplying sliders to the slide fastener stringer in motion along the path of travel, require the sliders discharged through vertical chute to shift their postures from the upright to the horizontal direction by the use of the swinging arm or the horizontal chute preparatory to the supply of sliders. They are, therefore, at a disadvantage in necessitating a wide floor space for the posture shifting device and entailing an extra time for the supply.
For the invisible slide fasteners and the waterproof slide fasteners, no arrangement useful for the supply of sliders has yet been proposed because these slide fasteners, unlike the ordinary slide fasteners, require the slide fastener stringers thereof to be passed through the passageways or slide grooves formed on the upper or lower side of the sliders and, as a result, the work of fitting the sliders to the slide fastener stringers cannot be easily automated.